The World She Sees
by hugoGrant
Summary: Petra can remember past lives and one special person... Levi x Petra.
1. Meeting

"Levi!" Petra couldn't believe it. After all the years of waiting, Levi just sauntered into the aisle she sat at in Barnes and Noble.

The black haired man glared. "How do you know my name?" He hissed.

"Sorry. I… you look like…" Petra's rationality - not the most reputed thing - caught up with her excitement as she remembered that he wouldn't know.

"Tch." Petra couldn't help but gasp inwardly. That 'tch' never changed. "And you're Petra?"

"Actually that is my name." She joined the Attack on Titan fandom knowing that she looked exactly like that character - Petra Ral - whose name was also shared. "What's your name?" She asked.

"Levi." She knew it! It was he who she waited at least 22 years for. The conversation drifted as Petra always tried to keep afloat the ship of talking Levi kept scuttling. They discussed their fandoms and the inconveniences of epitomizing a character. They discussed the small, useless Japanese phrases they saw and learned. They discussed their backgrounds - Petra's studies of history and Levi's job as a writer for a history magazine. Eventually, they discussed their next meeting.

The meetings were regular. Levi and Petra became friends as they spent time meeting at Barnes and Noble's and walking around the mall. Levi wondered how the couple he secretly shipped seeped into his universe. He realized quickly that he liked Petra more than he should or ever did anybody else. There was something about the way she was. She seemed familiar, almost like she expected his rude comment or asshole response. As creepy as it seemed, he found it oddly endearing and wondered how she knew. For Petra, the relationship was expected. It felt odd. She remembered so many, yet even this time made her nervous. She'd have to reveal her secret and she made her deadline to be during the first time they meet at one of their houses. That plan flopped, slightly.

"Want to go to meet the artists of AoT?"

"I can't." Petra hoped she'd not have to reveal why.

"Why?"

"I have… an appointment."

"Can't you move it?"

"Nope."

"What is it?"

Petra gave up hiding it. "Therapist."

"Therapist?!" Levi couldn't hide his surprise - Petra was perfect, what did she need therapy for?

"Long story."

"Explain."

"... Can I later… not in a mall?"

"Fine, where and when?"

"Now, my place." It was a huge risk and Petra knew.

"Ok." Levi got up and waited for Petra to lead him. He wanted to know why and see if the excuse was true. It also pulled at him because the one beauty he saw turned out to have a major flaw.

Petra lead Levi to a bus stop. Levi dragged her to his car - he could not wait. In fact, he tried to start during the drive itself.

"What kind of problem is it?"

"Nobody knows…"

"How does it show?"

"I guess it's everywhere…" Levi understood that this was going to be difficult unless Petra was in her place. Was it an OCD?

Petra led Levi into her small apartment. "Explain."

"Sit."

Levi sat and looked at Petra expectantly. "Ok. It is kinda freaky, so just promise me you won't leave, yell or anything. In fact, promise that if you don't like what you hear, we can pretend that this never happened." Levi gave a solemn, firm nod, wondering what the fuss was about. "I can remember earlier lives." Levi blinked slowly and his self-control was slipping. "I don't know how or why - I can just remember things I've never done before." She paused to sit across the table Levi chose to sit at. "Like turning 70 or having kids… " She glossed over the "with you" which almost came out "... or meeting you."

"Schizophrenia?"

"No - there's none of the hysteria or anything, my memories are just memories that I shouldn't have."

"If you're so good at hiding it, why do you need a therapist?"

"I wasn't always this good. I was two and I began to talk about things no two year old would. My father freaked out and I was sent to a kid's insane asylum." Levi looked at her a little softly. "Don't pity me. I was one of the best and left soon, only needing weekly appointments. In fact, now they're monthly."

"So what's the big deal?" Really, what was with the fuss?

"In all my other lives I loved you. In fact, I still love you." Levi began to understand. "It's why I understand you so well - I have spent almost 144 years with you in my memories." Levi nodded her on with a calmness he did not feel. "Well, first I'll explain the lives I remember: Petra-1 was in a time much like this one, we both taught and I died of old age with you and two kids. Petra-2 was during the Titan times - I remember being the Petra Ral."

"Wishfully?" Levi glossed over the hidden 'attack on Titan' is real - she did just admit to remembering previous lives.

"Painfully - even dying." Petra's tone suggested an annoyance at Levi's doubt. "Petra-3 was some time soon after the titans were defeated - she also lives a full life with you and two kids. I'm Petra-4. I think there are more, but those are all I can recall."

"So how am I in it?" Levi wasn't so sure he really wanted to know how he fit into this lunatic's world.

"I think I'm meant to be with you. We always meet. After meeting, we become friends and later on I declare my love. Petra-2 finds it unrequited (although you may have lied) and dies early. The other two face a minor tragedy during our relationship and then are saved somehow."

"Great, so?"

"If I don't want to die young, I have to get into a relationship with you." Petra hoped this wouldn't end anything.

"Prove it." Levi said after a long pause. With this he hoped to show her how crazy she was being.

"How?! There's no evidence! Why else do you think they think I'm nuts?"

"What about the relationship part?"

"We always meet. It's you - I know it - you're rude, tense and stoic on the outside, but then deep down you care and that's why you're still here, as much as you pretend not to want to be. You have a compulsion with cleaning - that's why my apartment has been the way it is. You like your coffee sweet and tea strong - it's two spoons of sugar and a third of a cup of milk for the coffee and two teabags and spoons of sugar in the tea."

"Holy shit."

"Sorry if it creeped you out… I know you never tell anybody."

"Petra, you should write this stuff."

"Nobody would believe me."

"Just write it… If you're right about anybody, then they'd believe you."

"But, there's…"

"Tch. Just write it."

Petra shuffled. "You know I remember everything right?" Levi threw her a questioning look. "Like… our nights together… and the …"

"Don't make it awkward."

"How are you so sure I'm right?" Petra just realized that he may pretend and then just leave. That's not Levi, she reassured herself. Then again, would Levi ask her to write her crazy stories down?

"You know things that only a god would." Even a stalker wouldn't know how Levi liked his coffee - he never even drank one with Petra.

"And so you think I should write them…?"

"Firstly, your writing's great. Secondly, I am sorry for doubting you." Levi did read one of her papers and underneath the tangle of jargon, it was a great essay.

"It's fine. I didn't know what to expect either." Levi gave another quizzical look. "What if you left me or got too creeped out to be in a relationship?"

"Oh, and you'd die if I weren't in a relationship with you, right?" Petra nodded nervously. "The thing is… I think I love you."

"You would." The words slipped out before Petra knew.

"Don't get cocky." Even if this creepiness was there, not only did Petra do a great job of hiding it, but a lot of the familiarity had a nice touch, especially since the words familiarity and Levi never before mixed.

"Sorry."

"So, why don't we be in a relationship...?"

"Sure." Petra paused. She couldn't believe it. The love of her current life and love in all the others actually asked her to be in a relationship. Then an amusing incongruity hit her. "That's a first."

"What?"

"You starting it."

"You mean you started the others?" Petra nodded a 'yeah' with a hint of the annoyance she had about the fact - "yes - you never admit how you really feel."

"In fact, this is also the most casual we've been about it."

"What?"

"Petra-1 woke up with you after a drunk night. Petra-2 died. Petra-3 dragged you on a date after three years of friendship. I guess Petra-4 is just really lucky."

"You're crazy." Levi smirked as a thought turned in his head. "And I'm out of my mind."

"'Cause all of me loves all of you." Petra laughed along to the song they both recognized. Petra ran up to hug him. She was about to kiss him when recollection hit. "Oh… sorry."

"It's alright."

"If I ever… get… just remind me."

"Fine."

The talk became normal as the elephants in the room stampeded away. Petra and Levi were happy to be in their relationship and Petra proved the coffee and tea statements with her perfect brews. Levi realized that when Petra did not talk about her lives, she was very normal. It was nice, calming and felt as easy as their friendship.

Soon Levi left and the relationship turned out to be a good idea, Petra noted, despite the odd start it had. She wondered what form the tragedy destined to happen would take. She was confident in their recovery and survival. At least she got Levi. Even if there were other lives and chances, Petra fell in love again that day in the Barnes and Noble, and even for the fourth time if felt exhilarating.


	2. Tragedy

The relationship was strong, solid and lasting. Petra knew it should be this way and that they would live on until old age parted them. Yet, after a few months, Petra couldn't help but worry about when the tragedy would hit. In the other times, by now the tragedy would be a memory.

Levi wondered when Petra would expect progress in the relationship. After all, there was no way he could truly surprise her. But, what had to be done had to be done. The arguments weighed. When would the first… happen? 'Kiss' could not fill in the blank as that happened a few weeks ago.

Levi wondered how this lunatic became so important to him as he crossed the town early on a rainy morning for Petra's graduation. After graduation, Levi had helped Petra get a job in the magazine as a writer. It weighed on him - could somebody really spend their whole life waiting for somebody else and knowing that if that other person didn't like them, death would follow. As Petra once told him, rather uncannily, "Who cares? I know I'm coming back anyway. And I'd get to do this all over, without the memories." As Levi pushed her a little further, Petra explained how she came to fall in love for a fourth time and how everything was new, even with the memories.

The graduation day passed as Levi expected it would: great for Petra who would talk to friends and have a good time and boring and wet for himself as he watched his beautiful girlfriend socialize.

A week later Levi lead in his recruit as Hange called Petra. Erwin, the manager and technically Levi's boss, met Petra first. The only non-essential communication was a "It's rare for Levi to recommend us a new employee. Well done." from Erwin.

From Hange, the next on the list, came much more. Much to Levi's chagrin, Hange was a Rivetra shipper for (and Petra verified in) both universes. Petra was amused and as she agreed to Hange in many ways, Hange only knew thought of Petra as a fan, and missed the hidden double-entendre.

Petra then began her job as a journalist and researcher for the "History Scouts." - a name nobody wanted credit to.

Petra's first assignment was to study a buried missile. The accepted history was that the world entered a nuclear war a thousand years ago and fears of technology prevailed, leaving humanity - only a few million were left - in a small medieval town. A restoration began as a few people found an old bunker and rediscovered much of the technology now common. The missile was seen as proof and 50 years after its discovery, Petra got the honor of describing the horrible war and devastating technology thankfully not yet discovered. The site was far enough to require three days of travelling.

As Petra packed the next day, having done all the preliminary research and goodbyes, Levi couldn't help but ask the question: "But doesn't the history disprove your memories?"

"Yes."

"Then how do you believe them?"

"I don't feel belief as if the memories were just some facts. I feel as if it happened."

"So you don't know?"

"And I can't, can I?" Petra paused - this angered her all her life - what if she was wrong? "How can I doubt my own memory?"

"Tch."

"How don't you doubt me?"

"Somehow you're right about me in ways nobody could have ever been."

"You never account for love." Petra zipped up her bag and carried it out of her apartment. Petra mused wondering how much of the lack of doubt from Levi was out of love. It bothered her, but she always knew that he'd doubt her.

Levi came after Petra and they rode the elevator down. "I wish I could be… more helpful about.. the…" Levi said, unsure of how to express caring - he never expressed it before.

Petra kissed him. "What you're doing is more than enough." Levi nodded. "And forgetting about it makes it easier."

"Bullshit."

"I just pretend that it's new, and it really is." Petra walked out of the elevator as the door opened. "Just like a fourth boyfriend, everything from the past applies, just differently."

Levi kissed her at the cab. "Do well."

"Have fun." Petra said as the driver took her bag. "I'll be fine." Petra said.

"Bye." The cab drove away and Levi headed off to work.

Petra couldn't help but be excited by the trip. It was the missile! The one and only historic relic left from the war! For anybody mildly concerned with history, it was Mecca.

"So, I hear you're seeing the missile…" The driver said.

Petra turned with a look of surprise. She nodded as the driver appologised for the unexpected knowledge. "Couldn't help but know, the lady who called was going crazy." Hange called - she had declared it her unofficial job.

"Yes. I have an article to write about the relic."

"Cool." There was a long silence, something most cab drivers were accustomed to. That was broken by Petra when the car slid out of the freeway at the wrong exit - which was obvious as the signs noted the airport was in three miles.

"Where are we going?"

The driver sighed. "Well, Petra, it's time I gave up the pretense." Petra gave a shocked look. "Don't worry about the article, it should happen and you'll see the missile."

"What?"

"I must take you somewhere - you're not going to take your flight."

"But…"

"Don't resist, otherwise I'll have to knock you out." Petra looked around before nodding slowly. "Great. I'm taking you to a private jet. It'll all be explained there."

The car pulled into a private hangar and Petra was led out with her things. Her questioning the motive and desire of whoever was behind this was to no avail - she had no idea what to expect.

A brown-haired boy greeted her. "Hi Petra. Guess who I am."

"Eren."

Eren gestured towards the jet and Petra followed as the driver pulled away. Inside, more people were there. Petra recognized Mikasa, Armin and Jean from her memory. Petra occupied the empty seat as her things were ported in.

"Hi." was all each of the people greeted her with.

"Ok." Eren began the talk. "We are the 104th. We know about you and your memories and have been waiting for you to meet Levi."

"What?"

"We wanted to be sure it was you."

"Great. What do you want?"

"To talk."

"What?!"

"You are the greatest thing to happen since the fall of the titans." Petra wondered what odd kind of a cult she'd gotten herself into.

"Seriously, you remember us?" Jean said.

"Prove that you remember me…" was all Petra said. "How did I die?"

"When?"

"Forget it…" Petra did tell many about how she died - that would prove nothing. "Eren, the time you transformed, what did each of us say?"

"Let's see… you told Levi to step back, Erd and Gunther yelled about the unauthorised transform, Auro yelled about killing me."

"How do you guys…?"

"We don't have the pleasure of remembering, we have it written down and passed through our families."

"Pleasure?"

"It would be an honor to remember."

"No, it's not."

"What? How?"

"Remembering dying really sucks." That earned a few laughs all around.

After a pause, Petra said: "So, y'all wanted to talk."

"There's nothing to say now." Mikasa spoke for the first time.

"Do you guys happen to know why I remember?"

"Nope."

"Alright, well, I need to get to…"

"Oh yeah." Eren walked into the pilot's cabin and soon, the plane began to move.

Over the three hour flight, the conversation was about all the recorded lives. Petra-1 was before the 104th and thus got the fortune of being added to the book.

Towards the end of the flight, Eren spoke up again. "Petra, you'll also be arrested."

"What?"

"The government will hold you because you know about the titans."

"But not you guys…?"

"They don't have evidence about us."

"And now?" Petra admitted the titans when she was younger.

"Because you associated with us."

"But…"

"It couldn't be helped."

"What about…"

"Your assignment will have to wait."

"And Levi?"

"I don't know." Eren paused to hand Petra a book. It was different from the one she'd read about the titans. "This book is all lies. We hope it will be enough to prevent them from torturing you."

"What…?"

"We don't know how bad it'll be."

"Then why risk me?"

"Because we needed to make contact."

"But…"

"It's important - more than you."

Petra opened her mouth then shut it. For the silence and drive to the hotel, Petra questioned her sanity and the odd cult she was mixed with. She wasn't arrested yet, and began to doubt that.

The next day, in excitement for the missile, Petra forgot all about the 104th. Petra reached the missile with her required ID and noted that the bunker was much emptier than she expected. The huge concrete cavern was deserted. Reflected in the clean floor - which Levi would've appreciated - was the long relic. The missile was exactly as Petra imagined it, largely because of the pictures of it she saw. The tip was red and the rest a bilious green, suggesting the bad intent of the device. The wear on the missile was odd. Petra felt it as she walked in. Something was in the pictures which was not in the bunker. Maybe people. Petra stepped up to the missile to take a closer look.

"Something bothering you?"

Petra looked to the end of the hall. There was a police officer. "It's just that, for an intercepted missile, it seems to be in pristine condition."

"Doubt the government, do you?"

"It's just… odd." Petra-1 had never seen a nuclear war and Petra-2 never heard of it. The histories did not match, baffling Petra further. But she was right about Levi, Hange and Erwin. Now she found the 104th.

Then in hit her. "I… think I have seen all I need to and I'll leave now…" This was a prime place for an arrest. Nobody would even know.

"Ms. Ral, I'm sorry to inform you that that would be impossible." And so the 104th was proven correct. Officers blocked the door - appearing out of nowhere much like the other officer - and the talkative one hand-cuffed Petra.

In the van, there was a silence. Nobody spoke until Petra entered what she thought was a high-security interrogation facility. This was great - she'd gotten a job only to be arrested. She tried to understand the cause, but could not find out.

In the facility, Petra was escorted to a room and locked in. She didn't notice the hour pass by in the midst of her preoccupation about Levi's reaction and her job prospects.

The door opened. "Hello Ms. Ral. I am officer Leonhart. I shall be asking you a few questions before we decide your fate." Leonhart was ice - colder than Levi, though many thought that impossible. Petra nodded acknowledgement as agreement did not matter.

"Firstly, how did you come to know of the 104th?"

"Sorry?" Petra wasn't quite sure how to answer without ruining the group.

"The 104th. We recently saw that you had made contact with them and thus demand to know how you came in contact."

"They captured me."

"I see." Petra had a doubt about how believed she was. Leonhart gave off that condescending air. "And you did not resist?"

"I could not. They surprised me and had me at gunpoint before I could do anything." Not 100% true, but close enough.

"What is their purpose?"

"They believed that my memories were correct - I assume you know my condition - and thus wanted to talk about them to me."

"And what did you talk about?"

"The nuclear war, the restoration and such." Petra had read the book and remembered these details about the invented history.

"I see. History nerds unite." Leonhart did not shift tone as expected for the joke. "Yet, that does not match your condition, thus I think you're lying."

Petra did not reply. She knew that anything she could say could worsen the situation, but she also could not anger this officer. "So, tell me the truth."

"I talked to them about the past."

"Which past?"

"Mine." Petra tried to sound defiant.

Leonhart did not sign up for this. The nerd was not scared or going crazy. Heaven forbid this nerd was actually like the Petra she read about in that weird manga thing. "Which is?"

"As reported by my therapist, I'm sure."

"Ms. Ral we'd like to hear it from you. At this point I am quite losing my patience."

"i would like an attorney."

Leonhart mock laughed. "An attorney?" She paused and continue with more breath. "You would be so lucky. The nature of your crime does not allow you an attorney."

"But the fifth amendment…"

"Is overridden by the titan-hiding enactment, which since I have mentioned to you, since you were actually a bit 'brave', you will have to be killed."

"Great, why wait." Petra-2 almost fully emerged. But the three others anchored her down, leaving silence instead of her drafted response.

"But first you will have to tell us all you know about the 104th."

"If you know so much about them, why not ask them yourself?"

"We cannot arrest them on any grounds upholdable in THAW court."

"THAW?"

"Titan-Hiding Arrest Warrant. Now, answer, what do they know?"

"The story they gave you."

"They would never allow you the truth."

"Then they lied to me."

"Doesn't it break your heart."

"No more than you do." Petra was getting bitter, but wasn't really sure where her boundaries lay.

Leonhart only smirked. Then, looking at the time, she briskly walked out. "Remember Ms Ral, if you are right, I crushed you against a tree."

"Only to be killed by Eren." Petra retorted.

Leonhart left, leaving Petra to mull over her next few days. She was moved to a cell as her torture was determined.

Days went by, though it was hard for Petra to tell. The mundane cell was like torture as her mind grew louder and the idiom "an empty mind is the devil's workshop" proved its ancient wisdom.

Day six (as Petra guessed) was interesting. Petra was brought into a room similar to the one she met Leonhart in. On the table was a note. "Since I cannot crush you against a tree, I hope to do it to your heart." Petra questioned what it meant as her gaze flicked to the monitor she saw behind a glass wall. It was Levi.


	3. Leonhart's crushing

As Petra sat down, Leonhart's voice came over a speaker. "So, tell us the truth or watch."

Petra stayed quiet. "One minute."

Nothing. "Thirty seconds."

"Eren never mattered." Petras began to speak. "Twenty."

"The 104th is using you." "Ten."

"Th-" Levi grunted loudly as Leonhart began to kick him. Petra's eyes widened, wondering what wicked bullshit the THAW courts ran on.

"Round two. One more minute."

The Petras spoke more. "I swear, I told you everything I know!"

"Ha, bullshit." Leonhart said.

"She wouldn't lie." Levi managed to speak, earning a kick.

Another round of kicking and punching went by. Levi emerged bloody and battered. A superior officer appeared and left. Leonhart looked levelly into the camera. "I thought you were more caring."

Petra was dragged to a room where she saw Levi. The officers held her back as she exclaimed: "I'm so sorry Levi!"

"Tch."

"Now that we're all caught up, Petra you have a final round." Leonhart levelled a pistol at Levi. "Tell us."

"NO! NOT LEVI!" Petra lost rationality once more and somehow moved out of the officers' grasp - her stature probably helped. Petra jumped up and grabbed Leonhart's pistol, not particularly pointing it. There was a discharge. Petra never would know where the gun pointed, but Levi would remember forever. Leonhart looked at the gun, unsure of what to do.

The superior officer walked in and looked angry. "Levi," he began, "I guess we owe you answers since you cannot leave this room alive."

Levi nodded, having doubted his survival after round one.

"To explain then: we hide the true history and your girlfriend was right all along." Levi shifted. "That is also why we had to kill her, but we felt that she may turn out to be a good lead into the 104th. They are an activist group who may also know about titans. Of course, that we cannot verify." The commander looked over to Petra's body, now encircled in red. "We spied on her and knew you were a weakness, that's how you're here. Any questions?"

Levi nodded a no. "Pity." Leonhart said, firing into Levi's head.


	4. Afterlife

Petra moved. Or so she thought. The weight was off. She looked at her arm wondering if it was shot off or something. Where was the pain - she did just get shot. Adrenaline? - it's what she credited escaping the guards to.

The arm didn't move - it split into two. There was a dull one which moved and the opaque one stayed still. Petra looked at Leonhart. The officer did not care about Petra's movements. Petra leapt up and tried to grab Leonhart, catching only air. Levi was looking at the opaque body more sullenly than usual and the body was beginning to be outlined in red. But Petra was standing…

Petra looked at the body, through some invisible mirror, revealing precisely her face. There was a hole at the top, the epicenter of the red. As Petra rubbed her face, seeing that it was complete, she realized that she was dead.

Immediately, Petra staggered and fell. The world grew blurry and more memories flocked to Petra. Petra-1 was not the first… in fact, Petra lost track of her own past.

The commander was talking. Petra grew aware of the world once more. "... Any questions?" the commander asked. Levi nodded a no and despite herself, Petra gasped as Leonhart shot Levi.

Levi fell and a dim halo appeared. How did neither of the officers notice? Levi duplicated. Opaque Levi bled and translucent Levi stood.

"Petra?" Levi looked at the translucent one.

"Levi!"

"What the…"

"We're dead!" Levi fell and stumbled about for a nearly horrifying thirty seconds.

"And you were right."

"Big deal."

"It's odd…"

"So?" Petra hugged him. "It's the past."

Levi hugged back. "Now what?"

"I dunno." It was similar all the other times. One died and then they reunited. Somehow the "relationship" they maintained in death was easier than that in the 'real' world.

"Let's go to the labs." The dead kept a secret lab where they studied the human condition. There was only one way to go - walking (they did have the required lifetime). Thus, they embarked.

The walk was quiet - neither had anything to say. Both were content with the way things were and both were in each other's company (the lab studied this odd linkage and found that this relationship was an enduring one).

Soon they arrived. They did not recognise the technician, which was normal. "Levi and Petra… right?"

"Yeah…" They both said, amusing the scientist.

"So… wow…." Levi threw a quizzical look, reflecting Petra's face. "Sorry, it's a thing with us 'nerds'... we think that you guys are special in some way."

"What?" Levi reacted faster.

"We found out that the bodies are just encasing for souls."

"We know."

"And then, these are encased probability fields."

"Probability fields?"

"Each soul, a particle-like thing, is trapped in the body. Where it is is determined by probability, the mind being the most probable place."

"And?"

"Your two souls are…" The 'nerd' pulled up a scanner and pushed a few buttons. "Right next to each others' at your fingertips."

"And?"

"It is highly improbable, but your souls are always the least distance away from each other."

"So what?"

"It means that you two are one of the more stable couples known to exist - your souls want each other's. Body is irrelevant."

Levi and Petra nodded at the profound meaning of the statement.

"We'll have to see about the hows, whys and whats this implies, of course…"

"Thanks…"

Levi and Petra left. They had an eternity together as was just proven. As long as they had each other, who cared?

_(AN: That was my first AU... I hope it was not bad. Please review. Did you feel that it moved too quickly?)_


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